Independent News & People Network Desk of News

Gavin Newsom comes out swinging against California billionaire tax

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-01-13T17:42:44+00:00

Ballot initiative, opposed by the ultra-wealthy, would levy one-time 5% tax on individuals worth more than $1bnCalifornia’s governor, Gavin Newsom, renewed his pledge this week to fight a controversial plan to tax billionaires in the state. The proposed ballot measure, which could go to voters in November, has gained public attention recently amid heavy criticism and threats from tech moguls to leave the state.In interviews with Politico and the New York Times published on Monday, Newsom described his office’s efforts to kill the proposed billionaire tax and told the Times he would “do what I

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Over 300 Met staff disclose they are Freemasons or in other hierarchical groups

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-01-13T17:42:28+00:00

High court judge is considering legal challenge to policy obliging officers to declare affiliation to organisationMore than 300 Metropolitan police officers and staff have obeyed an order to tell their bosses if they are members of hierarchical organisations such as the Freemasons, the high court has heard.Britain’s largest force announced the policy last month and it has met fierce opposition from bodies representing Masons. They have taken legal action to seek an injunction, claiming it amounts to religious discrimination and breaches human rights laws. Continue reading...

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New proposed Ukip logo compared to iron cross used by Nazi regime

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-01-13T17:32:41+00:00

Anti-racism campaign group Hope Not Hate warned that the logo was ‘echoing Nazi-style imagery’A proposed new Ukip logo likened to the black military cross associated with the German empire and later the Nazis is being considered by electoral authorities.A previous application by Ukip, which was once led by Nigel Farage, was rejected last November after the Electoral Commission deemed it as offensive. Continue reading...

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Scott Adams, Dilbert creator and conservative commentator, dies aged 68

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-01-13T17:29:40+00:00

Cartoonist – who was dropped from US papers in 2023 after calling Black people a ‘hate group’ – had prostate cancer Scott Adams, the cartoonist behind the satirical comic strip Dilbert and conservative commentator, has died aged 68 after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.On Tuesday, Adams’ ex-wife Shelly Miles revealed his death in a tearful livestream of his YouTube channel Real Coffee with Scott Adams. Continue reading...

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Maker of Peaky Blinders ‘in advanced talks’ to merge with The Traitors producer

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-01-13T17:28:54+00:00

Merger between Paris-based Banijay Group and RedBird IMI-owned All3Media would create a European TV production giant The world’s largest independent television production group, which is behind shows ranging from Peaky Blinders to Big Brother, is in talks to merge with the UK-based maker of hit TV shows including The Traitors.The Paris-headquartered Banijay Group, which last year considered making a takeover offer for ITV’s studio operation, is in advanced talks with All3Media, which is owned by RedBird IMI, the Abu Dhabi-backed company that is trying to off-load the Telegraph titles to the ow

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Why Trump’s options are limited when it comes to using force against Iran

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-01-13T17:17:19+00:00

As the US president tells protesters ‘help is on the way’, any military action would be unlikely to succeedIran crisis live – latest updatesDonald Trump may not be unafraid to use military force against Iran, according to the White House, but the reality is the US president has few to no options that could obviously help that country’s protest movement, never mind the fact that the history of US intervention in the region has hardly been a success.Emboldened by the seizure of the erstwhile Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, after an operation that took months of planning, the Trump talked up mi

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Hillsborough law to be delayed over security services concerns

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-01-13T17:04:09+00:00

Ministers hope to reach compromise after MPs and families said bill went too far in shielding intelligence officersThe government is to delay the progress of the Hillsborough law while ministers thrash out a compromise, amid concerns from MPs and families over how it will apply to serving intelligence officers.The bill will enforce a duty of candour on public officials and contractors to tell the truth in the aftermath of disasters. But concerns were raised by campaigners that it went too far in protecting individual employees of the intelligence agencies who might have misled public inquiries

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More than 300 Met officers and staff reveal they are Freemasons or in other ‘hierarchical’ societies

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-01-13T16:56:46+00:00

Figure emerges as judge considers legal challenge to Scotland Yard policy forcing police to declare affiliation to semi-secret organisationMore than 300 Metropolitan police officers and staff have obeyed an order to tell their bosses if they are members of hierarchical organisations such as the Freemasons, the high court has heard.Britain’s largest force announced the policy last month and it has met fierce opposition from bodies representing Masons. They have taken legal action to seek an injunction, claiming it amounts to religious discrimination and breaches human rights laws. Continue read

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Greenland’s PM says territory ‘chooses Denmark over the US’ ahead of talks with JD Vance – as it happened

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-01-13T16:55:44+00:00

Danish PM adds that Greenland is ‘not for sale’ in joint briefing ahead of tomorrow’s talks with the USNordic correspondent in Nuuk, GreenlandAnd here’s the latest from Nuuk, Greenland this morning, ahead of what looks like a few very busy days of political talks on Greenland. Continue reading...

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BoM Q3 net profit up 27% at ₹1,779 cr

Source: The Hindu Business Line – Markets · Published: 2026-01-13T16:54:49+00:00

The bank reported a net profit of ₹1,406 crore in the year-ago quarter

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Credit card use matures

Source: The Hindu Business Line – Markets · Published: 2026-01-13T16:54:24+00:00
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UK announces ‘full and further sanctions’ amid Iran killings and arrests

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-01-13T16:45:55+00:00

Sanctions to target finance, energy, transport, software and other significant industries, Yvette Cooper tells MPsThe UK has announced “full and further sanctions” against Iran amid widespread protests that have resulted in hundreds of deaths and arrests.The sanctions will target finance, energy, transport, software and other significant industries, Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, told MPs. Continue reading...

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